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<a name="Anatomy-of-a-Language-Front-End"></a>
<h4 class="subsection">6.3.8 Anatomy of a Language Front End</h4>

<p>A front end for a language in GCC has the following parts:
</p>
<ul>
<li> A directory <samp><var>language</var></samp> under <samp>gcc</samp> containing source
files for that front end.  See <a href="Front-End-Directory.html#Front-End-Directory">The Front End
<samp><var>language</var></samp> Directory</a>, for details.
</li><li> A mention of the language in the list of supported languages in
<samp>gcc/doc/install.texi</samp>.
</li><li> A mention of the name under which the language&rsquo;s runtime library is
recognized by <samp>--enable-shared=<var>package</var></samp> in the
documentation of that option in <samp>gcc/doc/install.texi</samp>.
</li><li> A mention of any special prerequisites for building the front end in
the documentation of prerequisites in <samp>gcc/doc/install.texi</samp>.
</li><li> Details of contributors to that front end in
<samp>gcc/doc/contrib.texi</samp>.  If the details are in that front end&rsquo;s
own manual then there should be a link to that manual&rsquo;s list in
<samp>contrib.texi</samp>.
</li><li> Information about support for that language in
<samp>gcc/doc/frontends.texi</samp>.
</li><li> Information about standards for that language, and the front end&rsquo;s
support for them, in <samp>gcc/doc/standards.texi</samp>.  This may be a
link to such information in the front end&rsquo;s own manual.
</li><li> Details of source file suffixes for that language and <samp>-x
<var>lang</var></samp> options supported, in <samp>gcc/doc/invoke.texi</samp>.
</li><li> Entries in <code>default_compilers</code> in <samp>gcc.cc</samp> for source file
suffixes for that language.
</li><li> Preferably testsuites, which may be under <samp>gcc/testsuite</samp> or
runtime library directories.  FIXME: document somewhere how to write
testsuite harnesses.
</li><li> Probably a runtime library for the language, outside the <samp>gcc</samp>
directory.  FIXME: document this further.
</li><li> Details of the directories of any runtime libraries in
<samp>gcc/doc/sourcebuild.texi</samp>.
</li><li> Check targets in <samp>Makefile.def</samp> for the top-level <samp>Makefile</samp>
to check just the compiler or the compiler and runtime library for the
language.
</li></ul>

<p>If the front end is added to the official GCC source repository, the
following are also necessary:
</p>
<ul>
<li> At least one Bugzilla component for bugs in that front end and runtime
libraries.  This category needs to be added to the Bugzilla database.
</li><li> Normally, one or more maintainers of that front end listed in
<samp>MAINTAINERS</samp>.
</li><li> Mentions on the GCC web site in <samp>index.html</samp> and
<samp>frontends.html</samp>, with any relevant links on
<samp>readings.html</samp>.  (Front ends that are not an official part of
GCC may also be listed on <samp>frontends.html</samp>, with relevant links.)
</li><li> A news item on <samp>index.html</samp>, and possibly an announcement on the
<a href="mailto:gcc-announce@gcc.gnu.org">gcc-announce@gcc.gnu.org</a> mailing list.
</li><li> The front end&rsquo;s manuals should be mentioned in
<samp>maintainer-scripts/update_web_docs_git</samp> (see <a href="Texinfo-Manuals.html#Texinfo-Manuals">Texinfo Manuals</a>)
and the online manuals should be linked to from
<samp>onlinedocs/index.html</samp>.
</li><li> Any old releases or CVS repositories of the front end, before its
inclusion in GCC, should be made available on the GCC web site at
<a href="https://gcc.gnu.org/pub/gcc/old-releases/">https://gcc.gnu.org/pub/gcc/old-releases/</a>.
</li><li> The release and snapshot script <samp>maintainer-scripts/gcc_release</samp>
should be updated to generate appropriate tarballs for this front end.
</li><li> If this front end includes its own version files that include the
current date, <samp>maintainer-scripts/update_version</samp> should be
updated accordingly.
</li></ul>

<table class="menu" border="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="left" valign="top">&bull; <a href="Front-End-Directory.html#Front-End-Directory" accesskey="1">Front End Directory</a>:</td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td align="left" valign="top">The front end <samp><var>language</var></samp> directory.
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" valign="top">&bull; <a href="Front-End-Config.html#Front-End-Config" accesskey="2">Front End Config</a>:</td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td align="left" valign="top">The front end <samp>config-lang.in</samp> file.
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" valign="top">&bull; <a href="Front-End-Makefile.html#Front-End-Makefile" accesskey="3">Front End Makefile</a>:</td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td align="left" valign="top">The front end <samp>Make-lang.in</samp> file.
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